By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Ana Ivanovic defeated Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 6-2, to return to the Roland Garros semifinals for the first time in seven years.
Photo credit: Roland Garros
Ana Ivanovic trailed Elina Svitolina as the pair walked onto Court Philippe Chatrier for today's French Open quarterfinals.
It was about the only time all day Ivanovic played catch-up as she continued her Roland Garros revival with a convincing roll.
On a blustery day, Ivanovic powered past first-time quarterfinalist Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 6-2, storming into the Roland Garros semifinals for the first time since she defeated Dinara Safina to capture the title in 2008.
More: French Open Fashion Winners and Losers
"I don't know if I should feel really old or really happy," Ivanovic told the crowd in her on-court interview. You guys are just amazing, I had great support."
The seventh-seeded Serbian will play Lucie Safavora for a place in the final. Safarova continued her inspired run through the field. A day after defeating defending champion Maria Sharapova, Safarova stopped 21st-seeded Garbine Muguruza, 7-6 (3), 6-3, surging into her first career French Open semifinal.
Playing impressive first-strike tennis, Ivanovic cracked more than four times as many winners as Svitolina — 37 to 8 — and punished her opponent's serve, winning 52 percent of the points played on Svitolina's first serve.
Dictating the direction of rallies with her flat forehand, Ivanovic crunched 28 of her 37 winners off her electric forehand. The former No. 1 worked over Svitolina's forehand wing from the outset breaking for a 2-0 lead after nine minutes of play.
Svitolina's two-handed backhand is her best shot, but Ivanovic limited the damage the 20-year-old Ukrainian can create off that wing with the depth and pace of her drives.
The Serbian's service toss can veer wildly to her right when she gets tight or when the wind whips up.
A gusty wind made mischief of the toss at times creating tricky serving conditions for both women. Ivanovic double-faulted to drop serve, but immediately broke back for 3-1.
"It was really, really tough to play," Ivanovic said. "I was just really happy to serve out the last game."
Tested in a tense deuce game, Ivanovic slammed a smash holding for 5-2. Showing her finesse with a drop shot winner for set point, the former No. 1 closed the 39-minute opener with confidence.
Breaking to open the second set, Ivanovic fought off a break point to stretch the lead to 2-0.
The first serve set the tone in the second set. Ivanovic won 15 of 17 points played on her first delivery, saved both break points she faced and forced the No. 19 seed to defend for much of the set. Svitolina's serve is still a work in progress. She won just six of 15 points played on her first serve in the second set and was often scrambling to defend the return blasts that knocked her back off the baseline.
Drawing Svitolina forward on match point, Ivanovic cracked a clean forehand pass to end a commanding 75-minute victory. Burying her face with her hands in an expression of pure joy, Ivanovic incited a celebratory group hug in her support box.
"For me it's vital," an emotional Ivanovic said of her support. "This is what you go back to in good and bad days."